1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to tunable lasers. In particular, this invention relates to the use of surface acoustic waves in a piezoelectric material to tune a laser.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Ultrasonic devices have been employed in the prior art to tune lasers. U.S. Pat. No. 3,940,713 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,028,636, both to Richard Swart Hughes, illustrate the use of bulk ultrasonic waves in the volume of an acoustic cell to tune lasers. U.S. Pat. No. 3,931,592, also to Richard Swart Hughes, shows how surface acoustic waves in a piezelectric crystal having a single reflective surface act as a diffraction grating which may be used to tune a laser. Other methods of tuning lasers use rotatable mirrors and gratings.